David Walker, the not-quite-breadwinner of the Toynbee household and outgoing spinner for the Audit Commission, has written a politically fuelled diatribe against the scrapping of his non-job by Eric Pickles. Guido has mentioned before that Mrs Walker has expressed concern in the Guardian, but Walker’s piece for Public Finance is particularly scathing. Was the article jointly penned , like their upcoming book?

Guido’s ears in DCLG, while taking a break from admiring their new £15,000 £250 portrait of the Queen, suggested the piece was not befitting the code of behaviour expected of a civil servant.

Walker is contracted for the last two years of the Audit Commission, but at this rate he might be retiring to Tuscany sooner than he thinks…